Comedy Central Greenlights Two New Series

- David Alan Grier and 3Ball Productions Join The #1 Comedy Network with Fake Magazine Show Starring David Alan Grier Will Premiere In 1Q 2009
- Reality Spoof From The Producers Of 'The Biggest Loser' Will Premiere This Summer

NEW YORK, March 26, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresh off announcing its 2008-2009 development slate, COMEDY CENTRAL(R) has given pick-ups to two new series, it was announced today by Lauren Corrao, president, original programming and development. The first is a fake magazine show hosted and executive produced by David Alan Grier, which will premiere during the first quarter of 2009. The second is an "uber-spoof" of the reality genre from 3Ball Productions, the producers of hit reality series, "The Biggest Loser," which will join the COMEDY CENTRAL line-up this summer.

"We are thrilled to be moving ahead with these two totally unique series that bring fresh new concepts and distinctive points-of-view to COMEDY CENTRAL which will appeal not only to the channel's core audience but to fans of David's and fans of the reality craze," said Corrao. "David brings a new, urban outlook to the magazine-show parody that will be a perfect complement to our current programming and 3Ball Productions is the ideal partner to turn the reality genre upside down from the inside out."

"David Alan Grier's Chocolate News" (working title) is a fake magazine show hosted by "In Living Color" alum and Tony(R) Award-nominee David Alan Grier that makes no apologies for its biased approach as it investigates inherently urban pop culture topics such as an operation to save black and white conjoined twins, steroid use in Little Leaguers and a rapper's public service announcement gone awry. The point-of-view is decidedly from an African American perspective and everyone and everything is fair game for Grier and his regular team of investigators. The series will be executive produced by Grier ("Little Man"), Robert Morton ("Mind of Mencia"), Fax Bahr and Adam Small ("MADtv") and Generate's Peter Aronson and Jordan Levin. Gary Mann is the executive in charge of production for COMEDY CENTRAL.

"Reality Bites" (working title) is an over-the-top satirical spoof of the reality genre. The show features comedians in an elimination-style "reality" competition where every episode is a self-contained spoof of one of the major reality formats, such as "Are You Smarter Than A Monkey?," "So You Think You Can Dive!," "Almost American Gladiators" and "The Amazing Disgrace." The winner will end up being the "last comic standing" and will win a cash prize. "Reality Bites" is executive produced by 3Ball Production's ("The Biggest Loser") J.D. Roth, Todd Nelson and Adam Greener. Dan Powell is the executive in charge of production for COMEDY CENTRAL.

COMEDY CENTRAL, the only all-comedy network, currently is seen in more than 91 million homes nationwide. COMEDY CENTRAL is owned by, and is a registered trademark of, Comedy Partners, a wholly-owned division of Viacom Inc.'s (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B) MTV Networks. COMEDY CENTRAL's Internet address is comedycentral.com.

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 150 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services - MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN/THE N, VH1 CLASSIC, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 300 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.

SOURCE COMEDY CENTRAL

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